This is a decent book, but it doesn't add a whole lot to the series. It functions more in the way of a consolidation.

The Spook's time is nearly over,This is a decent book, but it doesn't add a whole lot to the series. It functions more in the way of a consolidation.

The Spook's time is nearly over, and Tom's time is at hand. That point has been made several times before, but this one makes it abundantly clear, with a surprising lack of subtlety, even for this series.

The main story of the book revolves around a nest of vampires who have lured the Spook and Tom to their lair, at the behest of the fiend. The story is pretty straightforward, and has some nice moments. There is one problem here: at this point, Tom, Alice, the Spook, and Grimalkin are all central to the overarching plot. The books along the way seem to involve putting one or more of them at risk, but there is no real sense that any of them truly are at risk. To some extent, Grimalkin and the Spook might be expendable. With Tom or Alice, there is no way. They will be around until the end of the story. This wouldn't be so bad in a single, standalone book. But its something of a problem in a long series, because it takes away from the integrity of the individual books within the series.

At some point, I intend to finish this series (three to go I think). But I don't like it well enough to order the books online. And they aren't in any of the bookstores nearby. So it might take a while. I would like to see how Delaney wraps all of this up, and how much of a sacrifice he puts Tom and Alice through....more

Something scares someone to death. We don't get to see it, and there are at best vague hints about it.

This, when liberally spiced with lurid adjectiveSomething scares someone to death. We don't get to see it, and there are at best vague hints about it.

This, when liberally spiced with lurid adjectives, seems to be the heart of Lovecraft, and its pretty much all there is here. And, of course, everything is thoroughly mediated. We get this from a narrator who has access to the diaries of the victim. And just as the victim, at most, gets vague glimpses of the terror, we too get only vague glimpses of the diaries. It's sort of a commonplace that horror can be most effective when it leaves room for the imagination. Sometimes I feel like Lovecraft leaves huge tracts of land, acre upon acre. Sometimes it works; sometimes, as here, it feels just a bit more like an exercise in tacit suggestions....more

A solid entry to this series, and the most fun of any since Dead Beat.

Morgan has been falsely accused of murder by the White Council. Their system ofA solid entry to this series, and the most fun of any since Dead Beat.

Morgan has been falsely accused of murder by the White Council. Their system of justice borrows from the Queen of Hearts: execution first, trial later. He has escaped, and comes to beg Harry for help (or maybe to finally take Harry down through guilt by association).

Harry outsmarts everyone by, gasp, making use of nonmagical means. He also has a helluva good dog on his side. And in the process, some cherished relationships break.

The stakes in this book felt real. I didn't so much like the revisiting of the unknown Island in the middle of Lake Superior, but I will give Butcher some slack on this. Having made every magical myth real for this series, he does a really good job of trying to keep it all tied together, and dealing with some of the political implications of that complexity. So the reuse of convenient locations is not so terrible, since it helps give some unity and plausibility to a world with leprechauns, three kinds of werewolfs, at least as many types of vampires, fairies, leprechauns, skin walkers, the Billy Goats Gruff, and pretty much anything else you have ever heard of in myth, fable or legend.

This is a perfectly fine ending to an excellent series, but for me it did not have the punch of the first two books. The dominator coming back, yet agThis is a perfectly fine ending to an excellent series, but for me it did not have the punch of the first two books. The dominator coming back, yet again, seemed a little bit like a retread, and not an inevitability. The parallel story of Bomanz was good, but not up to the story of Marron Shed in Shadows Linger. On the other hand, it was nice to see Croaker get a girlfriend, and there were some parts of the book that were genuinely menacing.

I haven't decided yet whether I will get the Books of the South, which is the next big grouping of three books. But that means I probably will someday....more

My favorite of the first trilogy. This involves two stories that merge. One is about Croaker and the Company's journey far west, which ultimately invoMy favorite of the first trilogy. This involves two stories that merge. One is about Croaker and the Company's journey far west, which ultimately involves trying to prevent the Dominator (the Lady's buried husband) from re-entering the world and reasserting his dominance. This part of the story is as fun as the first book, but on its own it would not strike me as anything special.

The other story line involves an Innkeeper named Marron Shed. He starts out as a fairly unpleasant guy, and through a series of mishaps, he develops into a thoroughly despicable and horrible person, seemingly without any redeeming qualities. And then Cook does something fairly amazing: he convincingly brings this horrid man through a surprising redemption. This story could just have been an aside, and it was very risky to focus so much of the novel on what should ordinarily be a secondary or tertiary character. But Cook pulls it off, and it made this book special for me....more

These books basically establish the grim-dark branch of fantasy. They lay the ground for Erikson, Abercrombie, Martin and a bunch of others.

The BlackThese books basically establish the grim-dark branch of fantasy. They lay the ground for Erikson, Abercrombie, Martin and a bunch of others.

The Black Company is a mercenary company that is trying to get by in a world where there basically are no good guys. The set-up is pretty much that a Dark Lord (Lady here) has taken over the world. She rules an awful empire, but she is not so bad as her husband was, whom she overthrew. There are also a group of rebels trying to overthrow her, but the means that they use make them seem not much better than she is. The Black Company is caught in the middle of all this. To survive, it ends up working for the Lady. A series of battles and betrayals ensues.

All is told from the standpoint of Croaker, the Company surgeon and chronicler. He makes it clear that his narrative is not completely reliable, and that he has left out quite a bit of the less savory aspects of the company. He also gets drawn into the center of the plot, which basically revolves around the machinations of the Lady's Taken (think of the nine black Riders from Lord of the Rings), who are all angling either for themselves or to return the Lady's husband to power.

It's a fun book, and surprisingly short for epic fantasy. Cook has a way of getting to the point which is generally lacking in this genre....more

I'm surprised that I never got around to reading this. I like most things medieval, and especially ones that are bleak, and this certainly qualifies.I'm surprised that I never got around to reading this. I like most things medieval, and especially ones that are bleak, and this certainly qualifies. Like many ancient texts, this world just seems entirely foreign, but its a wonderful book nonetheless. ...more

Mieville takes basically unlikeable characters and propels them through a truly fantastic setting to an end result that is oddly satisfying. The mainMieville takes basically unlikeable characters and propels them through a truly fantastic setting to an end result that is oddly satisfying. The main character is Bellis Coldwine, and her last name is fitting. She is a rarity in fantasy fiction, a thoroughly dislikable, yet strong and fascinating female lead. At the outset of the book, she is escaping New Crozubun because she was once the lover of Isaac, the protagonist of Pedido Street Station, and the powers that be are after Isaac and will likely take her in for questioning, which is never a good thing in New Crozubun.

She is fleeing but at first doesn't care where to. Her attitude seems to be she is willing to go anyplace other than where she currently is. Her ship, which is a slaver, gets taken over by pirates who owe allegiance to a floating pirate city - a huge conglomeration of boats that has floated at sea for hundreds of years, developing its own economy and politics in the process.

The new powers that be assign her to be a librarian for pirated reading material. They also are secretly working on a project to develop better locomotion for the city, which now basically drifts or gets pulled by some very slow tugboats. The book thus involves two stories: Bellis has determined to get back to New Crozubun; the leaders have determined to get the new source of locomotion, by leashing a giant sea monster, and bringing the city to The Scar, a place where alternative realities bleed into one another, and where one might take advantage of the possibilities offered.

This makes for a nice vehicle for Mieville's imagination, and it is working just as hard as it did in Perdido. I particularly enjoyed the episode on the Mosquito island, inhabited by a race of hybrids between people and mosquitos. The women are the blood suckers, and can drain someone dry in just a few minutes. Good thing cactus people don't have blood.

Mieville also makes you believe that a floating pirate city might just function. It helps that much of its population consists of Remade who had been sentenced to die in slave labor camps, and who thus see the city as their salvation instead of their captors.

The characters are also quite vivid, especially Bellis, Uther Doul, and Tanner Sack. Bellis is a malcontent who feels she doesn't belong in the city, but also knows that she no longer belongs in the city she considers home. Uther Doul is a mysterious soldier/executioner who wields a "possible sword" a relic that is powered by the same force that powers the scar, and which leads the powers into their quest. Tanner Sack is a Remade who finds a true, but bittersweet home in Armada, the pirate city.

The ending was not as strong as Perdido Street Station. The connections between the two books, which are in the same world, are pretty tenuous. I'm not sure how the force of possibility, which lies behind the Scar, fits with the chaos engine that Isaac created in the first book. But overall, I think these are very good books, and not at all the run of the mill fantasy....more

This seemed pretty standard for the Lovecraft I have read. He tends to write through so many veils, and keeps so distant from his material, that it isThis seemed pretty standard for the Lovecraft I have read. He tends to write through so many veils, and keeps so distant from his material, that it is hard to empathize with any of the characters, even as horrible things are happening. I guess that may just be a part of writing about unspeakable horror. If he actually spoke it, it would cease to be unspeakable. And this story comes pretty close.

The idea that witchcraft may just be advanced math is pretty scary. Its one that also comes up, to different effect but with the same basic mechanism, in Stephenson's Anathem. And its interesting to think that Lovecraft was already onto, in some sense, the modern idea of the multiverse - long before Kripke ever conceived of any "possible world."...more

After finishing White Knight, I picked this up at the used book store and started it almost immediately. (I buy used books from authors who are dead,After finishing White Knight, I picked this up at the used book store and started it almost immediately. (I buy used books from authors who are dead, or who have made TV or Movie deals. I figure that these guys -- the dead and the media-produced -- don't need royalties from me.) I liked this better than White Knight, but then I didn't go out immediately to buy the next in the series. I'm not sure what that says.

Here, Johnny Marcone has been kidnapped. In a perfect world, that would be a good thing. Harry's world is somewhat less than perfect. Also, Harry owes Mab, the Queen of the Winter Court of Faeries, a favor. And you don't back out on favors owed to Faerie Queens. Mab wants Harry to find and rescue Marcone. Harry doesn't have a clue why Mab is so interested, but if she is, then the kidnapping was done by something supernatural, and that means that the Accords have been broken. So there are now two good, but dangerous reasons, for him to do it.

The Summer Court opposes the Winter Court in everything. They immediately send hit squads after Harry -- the form of Billy Goats Gruff. In very good Butcher form, their appearance has nice helpings of action, terror, and hilarity.

It also turns out that the Denarians (actual Fallen Angels) are involved. Much calamity ensues. Not as much gets blown up here as in the last book. But its close. There is some minor character development. Basically, as Bob the skull puts it, Harry is really in the big leagues now, whether he likes it or not. And he both does and doesn't, which is a good thing, because it makes it much easier for the reader (or this reader) to like it.

I will get to the next book at some point. Unlike some series, I don't seem to lose a lot by letting time pass between installments here. And its good to know that there is something worthwhile to look forward when I can't figure out what to read next....more

Someone is killing people who are adept at magic, but who are not powerful enough to become wizards. It looks like it's Harry's brother, the vampire fSomeone is killing people who are adept at magic, but who are not powerful enough to become wizards. It looks like it's Harry's brother, the vampire from the white court. Harry sets out to discover who it was, and to get as much stuff blown up in the process as he can. He succeeds.

Not sure why its such a big deal about these practitioners. The Wizard Council kills these people anyway, as soon as they break a law about which they were totally unaware. But they are women, and Harry doesn't like anyone hurting women.

A fun read, but I read it long enough ago now that it is a blur. I can say that I am starting to like the character of Molly. And the series does still seem to be building towards something. But this one adds little more than another brick to one wall....more

Best fantasy novel I have read in a while. It's kind of dumbfounding that this is a first book. To begin with, he writes really well without overwritiBest fantasy novel I have read in a while. It's kind of dumbfounding that this is a first book. To begin with, he writes really well without overwriting.

His characters are cool. The world, and the creatures that inhabit it, are both disturbing and imaginative. For example, one of the main elements in the book involves an illicit relationship between a human and a khepri. The khepri have human bodies but somehow the shoulders and heads of giant beetles. He makes the big bug sympathetic, and the relationship is not totally grotesque. Quite an accomplishment.

The plot involves a government experiment gone bad, leading to the release of a biological threat to all intelligent life. The central character of the story is in a classic thriller situation, being pursued by all parties at once, while trying to solve the central threat. And he has to do it in a way that does not cause even worse consequences (by enabling an emerging artificial intelligence). Somehow Mieville manages to put all of this off pretty convincingly.

I don't want to give too much away, because so much of it was really fun to puzzle through, and quite a bit of it was shocking. My only substantial complaint is that the book may be packed with too many things that hark to our own mythologies. But I was too busy having fun with what the book was doing to get annoyed by how preposterous a lot of it is.

I have already picked up The Scar, a sequel of sorts, and am about a quarter of the way through....more

This was a perfectly satisfactory conclusion to a good, but not great fantasy series. The loose ends are all tied off quite nicely, and there is the dThis was a perfectly satisfactory conclusion to a good, but not great fantasy series. The loose ends are all tied off quite nicely, and there is the distinct promise of more to come. On that, it looks like Feist has made much more of Midkemia, and when I can't find something else to grab me, I will probably turn to these books. They aren't great, but they are dependably good.

In this series, the character of Erik dominates the first book, but his character is rather thin, and by this book he is relegated to a side story, and he remains rather dull. The second book focuses on Roo, and he is considerably more complex than Erik, at least until he sees the light (which for him is the value of family). By this book, he is also a kind of afterthought.

I am not sure who is the main focus of the third book, which may be one of its problems. This one, however, rests pretty squarely on James grandkids, a Dash and Jimmy. Dash, it turns out, is a pretty worthwhile character. And I liked both of them quite well. I'm afraid however that they have now grown up and will thus be too good to be interesting in later books.

I also enjoyed Pug in this book, and always Nakor. The magic here was better than it usually is in Feist. And Pug actually has something to do here other than defeat some impossibly strong threat to all existence (though there's some of that too).

Not sure when or whether I will get back to these. I really need to latch on to some new writer....more

Finished this almost a month ago, and I've started the next one in the series now (though that's going rather slowly at this point).

In theory, this shFinished this almost a month ago, and I've started the next one in the series now (though that's going rather slowly at this point).

In theory, this should have been the most exciting of the four books. It had big battles, showdowns between wizards and demons, the destruction by fire of an entire city, and the deaths of a lot of loved characters. And yet, in execution, it wasn't that great. I liked it less than either the first or second books. Everything went pretty much the way its supposed to in this sort of thing. And for an odd sort of contradiction, or paradox, things aren't supposed to go the way they are supposed to.

So it was worth reading, but a pedestrian effort even for Feist, who writes a very decent, workmanlike, fantasy book, but rarely comes up with anything inspired....more

It follows Roo, who is Erik's best friend, and who was part of the "Dirty Dozen" team in the first book. His main goal inAn enjoyable mess of a book.

It follows Roo, who is Erik's best friend, and who was part of the "Dirty Dozen" team in the first book. His main goal in life is to become a filthy rich merchant, and this book details how he goes about that. This story, for what it is, I liked very much. Roo is not a simple character, and he's a bit of a jerk.

Because of the limitations in scope of this story, there is very little in the way of high fantasy. If you pulled this story out of its setting, it could just as easily have been told in a novel by Dickens or Trollope. Roo has trouble with the local guilds. He uses his wiles, and his less than perfect ethics, to launch his career. He gets involved and marries a girl he doesn't love to advance his ambitions. Hell, there's even a long section in the book on the intricacies of the grain futures market, where Roo and his fledgling syndicate set about cornering the market on grain, based on their inside information that the upcoming crop is plagued by locusts.

I know all of this sounds dull, and not the stuff of fantasy. But it makes for a good story anyway, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Here's the problem. This is the second part of "The Serpentwar Saga", so Feist feels honor bound to advance the overall plot. The way he does this is only tangentially related to the main arc of the book. And Feist does a really poor job of integrating the two. Moreover, the main story really isn't all that interesting. Eric and Calis and Nakor go off again to the other continent to break some eggs (literally). They are the eggs of the Pantathians, and that's what it has to do with advancing the story. Then make another "shocking" discovery on their mission. And they get into a bunch of trouble and are, of course, rescued. All with an obligatory poignant and surprising death.

The pieces fit together in the way that a jigsaw puzzle does when you start forcing stuff that doesn't belong, or when you start cutting up your pieces to fit. It doesn't make for a good overall book. But the book that I think wanted to write, the one of the title, I enjoyed quite a bit. He just didn't fit it that well into his overall saga.

At least this time there was no Pug ex Machina, so that's a plus. I will get around to the third book at some point, but I'm no longer in a rush. ...more

Feist does The Dirty Dozen. A group of condemned prisoners embark on a suicide mission to aid their country. Will they succeed? Will any survive? WellFeist does The Dirty Dozen. A group of condemned prisoners embark on a suicide mission to aid their country. Will they succeed? Will any survive? Well, this is Feist, so you know from the outset that the major players will all survive, but that some likable secondary characters have been outfitted with the red shirt of death.

The set-up, and the carrying out of the training and then the plan, are all done well here. The characters are likable, and a few of them are even interesting. Nakor, the master magician who does not believe in magic, plays a major role, and he is always fun, even if his bag of endless oranges can get old.

The basic idea is that the group needs to infiltrate the enemy, learn what lies at the heart of a growing threat, and then somehow escape to get word back to the powers that be. In some ways, all of that ends up being too easy, except for the escape part, which manages to be harrowing.

The main power that am here, is Pug. And this becomes a basic flaw. Feist seems always to be tempted by doing a Pug ex Machina, and without revealing the details, that is something of a problem here too. Worse, the crew go to all these lengths to gather intelligence for Pug when it seems abundantly clear that Pug doesn't need them, and he has better ways to get the same information. That would be OK, if there was some sort of irony to it, but I'm not even sure that Feist understands the difficulty.

Even with those criticisms, I found this to be a competent and mostly enjoyable fantasy. It's thoroughly mainstream and lacks surprises, but its a pleasant read, and I am already half way through the next book (which I am liking more)....more

I should like Pratchett. He's clever and can be funny, and he has a really good imagination. Several years ago, I picked up Moving Pictures in an airpI should like Pratchett. He's clever and can be funny, and he has a really good imagination. Several years ago, I picked up Moving Pictures in an airport and pretty much finished the thing on the plane. The main reason I know that is because I still have the book on my shelf. I don't remember a thing about it. I think this book will go the same way. It's been a week, and already its a bit fuzzy.

Pratchett wrote about 1000 books based in Discworld, of which I think over 30 have been published. This one is the first. It follows a clueless tourist, who is being led, sort of, by a particularly despicable magician, sort of. Along the way they encounter many other despicable people and creatures, and more than their share of clever puns. (For example, discworld, which is a flat disk, is surrounded by a circumfence. Get it. Pratchett makes sure that you do, and milks it for way more than it's worth.)

The plot of this book is pretty much non-existent. It meanders and then, depending on your point of view, either peters out, or literally goes over the edge. What it does not do is tell a complete story. The characters are not very interesting. And the jokes are overly clever and wry. Lots of people seem to love these books, and maybe there is something I'm not getting. But two is enough. It wasn't bad, but there wasn't much about it that I thought was very good either....more

A very satisfying ending to a good series. I like that Abercrombie introduced new main characters in each of the stories. This one is told from threeA very satisfying ending to a good series. I like that Abercrombie introduced new main characters in each of the stories. This one is told from three characters: Princess Skara, who starts as princess of nothing and has to grow into her role as queen, and lose a fair bit of her innocence and freedom in the process; Raith, a cold-hearted killer who grows a conscience but gets little in return for it; and Koll, who is Father Yarvi's apprentice, but not sure he wants to become a full minister.

More so than with The First War books, this one has relatively predictable outcomes. But that doesn't stop the journey from being fun. I absolutely loved that the first section of the book is named, and uses the theme, "Words are Weapons." Take that GRR Martin. He also includes characters comparing words to farts and other kinds of wind. Just hilarious.

(Spoiler ahead: I also especially liked the journey into nuked Stockholm, and the introduction of automatic machine guns into medieval warfare. I also loved that Yarvi, who was the hero of the first book, and is the main focus of the three, has verged on becoming a monster by the end of this book.)

Abercrombie's storytelling is sure handed. He once again has multiple endings, and they all work. All in all, I put this book and this series just a notch below The First Law, but that's a pretty good place....more

The only thing that makes this YA is that it's not quite as grim or dark as Abercrombie's other books.

His plotting and characterizations keep gettingThe only thing that makes this YA is that it's not quite as grim or dark as Abercrombie's other books.

His plotting and characterizations keep getting better. Here, this is the coming of age story of Thorn and Brand. Both want nothing more than to be soldiers and get the glory and loot that soldiers get. They both have a problem.

Thorn's problem is relatively easy: she's a girl. Since Mother War is also a girl, you would think it would be an easy fit. But the culture, and her mentor, don't see it that way. He sets her up to fail, and when she doesn't fail. He frames her. Her dream of becoming a warrior gets crushed, and she turns into something darker and more deadly, far surpassing her wildest dreams. Thorn makes any of the badass heroines of YA seem like wussies.

Brand's problem is actually harder. He wants to do good, and he has a really nasty habit of telling the truth. That also puts him on the outs with his mentor, and it makes it very difficult for him when he finally does get a chance to go on a real warrior's raid.

Instead of becoming warriors, the two of them join up with Father Yarvi, the hero from the first book in this trilogy, to go on a journey seeking allies against the High King, who is determined to destroy Gettland. Even though the journey seems to be standard fare, Abercrombie is deft with the plotting and this book is always interesting.

My one nagging complaint here is the similarity in the outcome here to the outcome of the Heroes. There, I thought it was perfect. Here, he does a variation on the same sort of thing (which I will not spoil), and I don't know whether I would have liked it better if I had not read The Heroes. It definitely lost some of the shock factor that it had there.

This belongs on the list of YA books that are only YA because of current market trends. It's just a good book, and remarkably good for the second book of a trilogy. I will be moving on the the third book soon....more

This is the most straightforward of Lovecraft's stories that I have yet read, and I liked it. It involves a group of fungoid creatures from outer spacThis is the most straightforward of Lovecraft's stories that I have yet read, and I liked it. It involves a group of fungoid creatures from outer space who have established secret mining operations in Vermont. The narrator thinks of himself as a reasonable man of science, but he is neither reasonable nor particularly scientific. And by the end, he reveals himself to be as stupid as any teenage girl in a slasher movie.

But having said that, this is the first of Lovecraft's stories that I found really creepy and that gave me something like a shiver. ...more

Harry's back, and he's a reluctant warden. He doesn't exactly relish his role in executing the practitioners of black magic. It turns out that there hHarry's back, and he's a reluctant warden. He doesn't exactly relish his role in executing the practitioners of black magic. It turns out that there has been some black magic thrown around in his district, and its up to him to find and arrest the culprit.

This brings him to a horror movie convention where things are going haywire. Seems that the movie monsters are coming to life and going on killing rampages within the convention. And the murders only draws bigger crowds.

Trying to stop it involves him in going to the NeverNever, and to the heart of the Winter Fairy Court. It also leads him to the culprit, and makes for a very nice double ending.

This book is plotted and paced really well. And then, when you ask who the central bad actor is, its very hard to come up with a satisfying answer. I think that's deliberate, but its also a little unsatisfying. What is satisfying here is that Harry is no longer (completely) the knight in shining armor who can't bear to see any damsel in the slightest danger. Here, he is assisted, and ably so, by a few very strong women. The action is fun, as it usually is, and the resolution is satisfying even if it is incomplete. Oh, and Harry may have the coolest dog ever....more

I was disappointed in this one. It had some very cool things, like the setting of a partially submerged New, New York. And I liked the reveal at the eI was disappointed in this one. It had some very cool things, like the setting of a partially submerged New, New York. And I liked the reveal at the end of the main villain and her motivation for destroying the city.

I did not particularly care for the character development, or the lack of it. It's much shallower than the setting. This one veered more toward Sanderson in his Alcatraz mode, and less like the Sanderson I like from the Mistborn books The Stormlight books. Even when he's righting his grown up stuff, Sanderson is basically writing for YA. So when he starts consciously writing down, things start to get much more obvious, and too preachy for my taste.

This is a world where the guys who get superpowers become horrible villains. But we don't get to see all that much of their villainy. And that makes the heroism fall flat.

The other problem I had with this book is that it distinctly felt like a middle. I will probably go on to read the conclusion of this series at some point, but I'm not in any rush at all, and I would probably be better served by reading the Mistborn books again, or one of the Stormlight books....more

This is easily my favorite in the series so far. I liked basically everything about it. Bob, the skull who advises Harry, gets soPolka will never die!

This is easily my favorite in the series so far. I liked basically everything about it. Bob, the skull who advises Harry, gets some character development. Mouse develops. Butters is one of the best characters in the series so far. And even Morgan doesn't suck in this book. Butcher has a good knack for making interesting villains, and he is doing a great job of expanding the story. And the climax of the book is both hilarious and terrifying. To top it off, the title is a really nice pun; it makes me realize how tight, clever, and well thought out this whole thing was. Easily the best yet, and did i say?

Have you ever read a book in a series, and know that you were missing stuff because you couldn't remember references to stuff that had happened in earHave you ever read a book in a series, and know that you were missing stuff because you couldn't remember references to stuff that had happened in earlier books? And then, you found out that the reason you couldn't remember that stuff is because it was back-story for the current book, but hadn't appeared in the earlier books? That happened to me here, and I found it very weird.

This book continues the adventures of Wax and Wayne, and its a slightly darker tale than The Alloy of Law. I'm not sure which I liked better, but I thought they were both quite good. In this installment, Wayne is a Lord in Elendel, which is now a powder keg about to blow. It has corrupt leadership: the people feel oppressed; and their "freedom fighters" are the enemy. The freedom fighters see themselves doing to Harmony what Vin and Kelsier did to overthrow the Last Emperor. But Wax is on the side of the law; or perhaps he is just a tool of the oppressing class. Pretty heady stuff for a lighthearted romp.

Sanderson's handling of character keeps getting better and better. Here, he manages to give some depth to Wax, Marisi, and Steris. His women are not simply pawns and hostages. And he has two gems in this book with MeLaan and Wayne. It's actually sort of a shame that Wax is the hero of these books, because Wayne is way more interesting. I would much rather see him go on about hats and accents, than have Wax draw Vindication yet again.

The plot, and its twist, are pretty standard. For Sanderson, I found the surprise at the end to be almost completely unsurprising. It was the sort of reveal that you find again and again in Hollywood movies, and invariably makes me roll my eyes.

I've read that many people found the humor forced and a little stilted. I can see their point, and there were times when I agreed with it. But there were also moments that I found to be genuinely funny. On this, again, I think Sanderson is improving.

I don't know where I stand on the expansion of this series. I was happy to read more about Wax and Wayne, though I would have been perfectly happy to have had The Alloy of Law stand alone as a kind of bauble. And since he's moving along with this as a series, I suppose that its a good thing that he's added depth here, especially in how Wax's doings tie into larger schemes, and in the possible introduction of new wrinkles to the magic system. But the added depth also gave the book a slightly schizophrenic feel. It's a bauble that feels like it's in danger of being crushed under the weight of epic fantasy. But I will certainly be there with the next installment to see how Sanderson works it all out. (Also, don't you think its remarkable that I did a full review and only mentioned his magic system once?)...more

Lot's of people say that these books take off after book 4 or 5 or some arbitrary number. This is book six and I don't see it yet. I like them, and ILot's of people say that these books take off after book 4 or 5 or some arbitrary number. This is book six and I don't see it yet. I like them, and I can see some development in an overarching story, but for the most part they seem remarkably consistent to me, and quite good. Here, there are some obvious developments, as Harry acquires both a brother and a puppy.

The plot seems relatively simple. Someone's knocking off the porn stars (instead of knocking them up, I suppose) and Harry's enemy, the vampire/succubus Thomas, enlists his help in finding out who, since it appears that the dead women are victims of an entropy curse. In the meantime, Harry needs to take out a nest of black vampires (the really bad kind, as opposed to the other, nice vampires), and enlists the help of Murphy and Kincaid.Since a vampire has asked for Harry's help, and Harry is trying to take down some other vampires, and the wizards in general are now at war with vampires, it's not too surprising when a connection develops between the two plots.

Harry gets in some nice wizardry, some decent wisecracks, some disingenuous self-deprecation, and gets beaten up and tortured beyond any one wizard's endurance. Which is all par for the course. He also learns some cool stuff about his background, his mother, and about the man who raised him. And all of it happens at a break-neck pace. I'm not sure, but I think the main action of the book occurs over the course of maybe three days.

One thing bugged me more than the typical stuff that bugs people. Harry's self-righteous anger and his chivalry seem the things that bother most people. I just take both of those things as character flaws. What bugged me has more to do with the plot set-up. In film school, we were taught that you never put a loaded puppy into the first act of a movie, unless its going to go off by the third act. (I think it was a loaded puppy, but film school was a long time.) Anyway, Harry gets a loaded puppy at the beginning of the book. It has instincts that, early on, give him just enough warning of an attack by a Black Court Vamp. Through most of the book, we know the whereabouts of the puppy, and who is caring for it. But then, as the action builds, we lose the puppy. And when the final showdowns occur, the puppy plays no part. Badly done, Mr. Butcher. If you are gonna load that puppy, you have to have someone fire it at some point.

As before, I enjoyed this book, and I like many of the ongoing characters. But I still haven't hit a book that makes me think I have to rush out and get the next. ...more

This was a good read. It's well written, but fairly standard stuff. I thought it was a significant step above Prince of the Blood. It follows NicholasThis was a good read. It's well written, but fairly standard stuff. I thought it was a significant step above Prince of the Blood. It follows Nicholas, the youngest son of Arutha of Krondor. He has a deformed foot from birth, and has always felt inadequate as a result. His father sends him to his uncle in the rougher backwater of Crydee for some seasoning. After some brief hardship as his uncle's squire, the town is raided and two of the royal women are kidnapped. They go on a quest across the world to rescue the girls, and along the way Nicholas learns to assert himself. As I said, pretty standard, but Nicholas is a well-drawn, likable character. And some of the supporting characters have their moments as well.

To my tastes, the villainous forces here are too abstract. There is no believable face of evil in this book (nor in the last). Its also marred by a Pug ex machina, which is telegraphed from almost the very beginning, and still manages to be annoying and a trifle anti-climactic when it occurs. But there is a lot to like in this book, including several women in the book who manage to have personalities and not merely be objects for rescue or romantic interests (though they do fill those roles as well).

As with the first series, I have liked the last two books, but still find myself doubting whether I want to continue. I guess someday I will go on to one of the early series. It looks like there are three groups of books to choose from for a next step. But I don't feel in any rush to do so....more

The makers of "Seinfeld" had a motto: "No hugs, no learning." It's one of the things I like, for example, about dark fantasy a la Joe Abercrombie. FeiThe makers of "Seinfeld" had a motto: "No hugs, no learning." It's one of the things I like, for example, about dark fantasy a la Joe Abercrombie. Feist puts himself more to the other end of the spectrum. A pair of royal twins get sent to a foreign land for a light diplomatic mission, and for some seasoning. There are assassination attempts, sales into slavery, some betrayals, a lot of good old fashioned male fantasy sex, and, in the end, lots of hugs and lots of learning. I enjoyed it, though I found it mostly predictable.

I especially liked the development into old age of Jimmy the Hand, a favorite from the Riftwar series. And also the introduction of Nakor, a mad magician who insists he is merely a trickster. I think Feist did a pretty good job with laying out the empire of Keth, plying it with political intrigue, and keeping something of a mystery/suspense plot going. I found the whole thing enjoyable, but somewhat mediocre. I have the impression that Feist writes consistently good, and entertaining books, but that they aren't great. ...more

Sanderson sees this as his version of an action movie, and that's exactly how it works. It felt more like a screenplay than a novel. And I think it woSanderson sees this as his version of an action movie, and that's exactly how it works. It felt more like a screenplay than a novel. And I think it would make a pretty good movie, just as it is a pretty good book. Like many, if not most action screenplays, the main motivation is simple: revenge. The title character killed the narrator's father in the prologue and he has devoted his life to seeking revenge. There's just enough layered on top of this to make it both interesting and fun. But there are times when it veered towards being too thin for me.

The basic premise is fairly simple. Something weird has happened in the sky and it seems to have given some people superpowers. (I would have preferred an invasion of radioactive insects, who bit people, but you takes your premises as you find them.) The new breed of supermen and women all have one other thing in common: they all seem to become vain, ambitious, amoral assholes. And they pretty much ruin civilization in the process of trying self-aggrandization.

Steelheart is the emperor/asshole leader of Newcago, the successor to Chicago. Opposed to him is basically no-one except the narrator, and a group called the Reckoners whose main goal is killing off whichever "Epics" they can. Steelheart is not on the list until the narrator convinces them that they might have a chance against him. But how can the Reckoners be powerful enough to stand up to the Epics? This was a question which leads to the "surprises" that come later in the book. I found none of them all that surprising.

Rather, I felt this was a fun, but workman-like book, with a very nicely crafted story, with characters who could essentially be lifted from any caper movie, and with a few genuinely amusing touches. The magic system, as always, is pretty cool and very well thought out. And the world is interesting. I will probably continue on with the series. It's not as good as Sanderson's best books, but its good enough to leave me wanting some more. I put it on about the same level as the Wax and Wayne books. Better than the Alcatraz books, but not as good as Mistborn, Elantris, or the Stormlight books....more

I keep hearing that these books turn the corner from being fun thrill rides that are easy to read, and into something with much deeper (or perhaps graI keep hearing that these books turn the corner from being fun thrill rides that are easy to read, and into something with much deeper (or perhaps grander) scope. Maybe so, but this one was very much on the thrill ride side of things. That's not bad at all, and I enjoyed this book. But it still felt like really good popcorn. So, it was exactly what I was expecting. Except, I'm expecting these books to surpass my expectations at some point, and it didn't do that. (There's a nice paradox in there for anyone who wants to dig it out.)

My main issue with the book stems from what is also probably the coolest thing in the book: the Denarians. These are really amped up villains, and Butcher does them really well. But their back story troubles me. Each of them has acquired a possessed coin from the loot that was given to Judas Iscariot for betraying Jesus. They are possessed, quite literally it seems, by fallen angels. The idea is really cool, but it makes me wonder whether, in Butcher's world, there are any false superstitions. First we had, wizards, vampires, and demons from the Nevernever. Add to this three varieties of werewolf, and Fairy Queens and other wee folk. Now we get the story of the bible also being genuine, including the fall of the angels, the Christ story, and the shroud of Turin. It makes me wonder whether and when the introduction of new types of supernatural stuff will end.

It also poses an interesting problem for the characters. If the Judas story and the shroud are real, then it seems rather boneheaded for anyone in the know not to join Michael in his faith. But it seems that no-one does, and not because of any deniability. Butcher confronts this head on by having a knight of the cross who professes to be an atheist. When Harry challenges him on this, there's a very funny interchange between them. But while Butcher acknowledges the issue, he doesn't actually solve it. Also, I wonder if people realize how blasphemous Butcher is being by taking the bible story seriously. He is putting it on exactly the same footing as the stories of Fairy Queens, werewolves, and vampires. Not exactly the exalted station that most conservative Christians would want.

The story itself is probably tighter than the previous books. I like the way Harry's ongoing relationships are developing, especially with Murph and Marcone. And I still like Harry. I get tired of him making deprecating comparisons of himself to James Bond. The only similarity I see is the forced, and usually unfunny, wisecracking after moments of extreme violence. I also think its the wrong comparison. Butcher is doing a mash-up of genres, but it is not fantasy and 007 stuff. Rather, these books feel much more like Philip Marlowe is a wizard. They owe much more to Chandler than to Fleming.

After each of these books, I know that sometime I will pick up the next one. And that hasn't changed yet. But I still have not read one that has made me feel like I need to read the next right away....more